Lead-laying machine for pencils



Aug. 30,1927. A

J. S. FURST LEAD LAYING MACHINE Fon PENILs Filed Jan. 18, 1926 4 sheets-sheet 2 192 Aug 30 7 J. s. FURsT LEAD LAYING MACHINE FOR PENCILS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 18, 1926 Aug. 30,. 1,927.

J. S. FURST LEAD LAYING MACHINE FOR PENCILS Filled Jam 1s; 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug. 30, 19277.

PATENT 'oFF-ice.

JOHNS. Fri-RST, or rnrLannLPHrA, PENNsYLvANZIA.

LnAn-LA'YING MACHINE Fon rnNo'iLs.y

Appiieation' filed January 1s, `192e. serial No. 82,096.

The object of this Vinvention is to devise a novel lead laying machine for pencils where- 'i by the leads will be automatically placed in the grooves of lead pencil slats.

This work of filling the "grooves of the slats with lead has heretofore kbeen done'by manual labor, and, due to the fact that these leads are often bent or deformed, it has, in so far as I am aware, been deemed commercially impracticable to place the leads in the grooves of the pencil slats by the use of a machine.

A furtherobject of my invention is to devise .a novel machine wherein the grooved slats willfbe automatically 'fed into lead receiving position; wherein the leads are automatically placed in the grooves ,and wherein the filled slats are then fed yto a desired point of utilization. Y i

lVith the above and other objects in view,l as will hereinafter clearly appear, my in` vention comprehends a novel construction v' and arrangement of a lead 'laying' machineV for pencils.

lt further comprehends'a Vnovel lead laying machine having novel means to progressively advance the grooved` slats into filling positionl beneath anovel construction and'arrangement of a grid, novel means for causingthe leadsrina hopper to pass into the slots of said grid, novel means for preventing more than one leadin a groove being discharged with a filled slat, novel means for effecting the alignment of the slats during the illingoperationand for securing` them in their filling position, and novel means for feeding the filled slats from the machine.y

It furthercomprehends a novel construction of a grid having a series of parallel slots, and novel vmeans for reciprocating a lead containing` hopper above said grid.

Other novel features of construction and advantage will hereinafter more clearly yap- For the purpose of illustrating my invention, l have shown in the accompanying drawing a typical embodiment of it, which, in practice, will'give reliable and satisfactory results. stood that this embodiment lis typical v'only and that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention lt is, however, to be underis not, therefore, limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein set forth.

' Figure l is a top plan'view-of a lead laying machine embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the leads.

Figure 3 is a'pei'spective view of the pencil slat. f Figure 4 is a sectional view of a portion of the machine with the hopper removed. Figure 5 is a front elevation of the machine.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6 6 of Figure 5. l

YFigure 7 isan end'elevation of the hopper with the grid and bed insection. 1

`Figure 8 is a sectional elevation Lof the hopper on line 8 8 of Figure l with the grid and bed lin section.

Figure 9 is a detail of the connection for reciprocating the hopper.

'Figure l() is a section through the bed showing the slat aligning mechanism. Figure ll Vis a detail showing the connections .for feeding pencil slats.`

Figure l2 is a detail of connections for feeding the slats from the machine.

Figure 13 is a detail of two slatsout of alignment with eachother when a lead car-y bodying my invention. The machine is provided with a suitable frame 2 which carries a, table or bed 3. 4 designates a wooden slat having a desired number of longitudinally extending spaced grooves 5 which are adapted to receive the lead 6. These wooden slats 4 are stacked one above the other on the table 3, and are retained in aligned position by means of the angles 7 and 8 which at their lower ends are' adjustably connected Awith the table by means of the slotted brackets 9, 'adjust-ably secured to the table.

The angles 7 carry the slotted arms 10 through which Vpass the fastening devices l1 carried by the angles 8' so that the angles Vcan be relatively adjusted to receive slats of different dimensions. 'The main driving shaft l2 is suitably ournalledin the frame 2,

Slt)

and l have shown a c :onventional type ot lined pulley 123 andloose pulley ll so that the machine is adapted to be driven bv any desired source ot' power.

The main driving sha'lt l2 is inlergeared with an an.\;iliar \1 shaft l5, as at 1G7 so that the sha-tt l is driven in unison with the shatt l2. The shaft has fixed to it a sjrjiroeket wheel li' around which passes a sprocket chain 1S, the latter also passing around a `sprocket wheel 19 carried by a shaft 2t) suitably jonrnalled in the machine trame.

This shalt 20 has fixed to it a disc 2l having eccentricall);1 connected with it a shoe 2:2 which travels in the slot Q3 ot a link 24 which pivoted at its lower end as at to a tixed portion ot the trame.

The opposite end of the link Q4 is pivotafly connected with a link 2G which latter piv orally connected to a linlr 2T. The link 2T is pivetall)r connected to a push bar Q8, guided in the table. so that, on its torward `or operative stroke. it will advance the lowermost slat from the stack et grooved slats beneath a grid 29 having a desired number oit longitudinally extending spaced slots R0.

The grid Q9 is .fixed in its aligned position by means ot' the clamps 3l which are ixed to the table. The grid has at its bottom the spacers l2 which cause the slotted portion to he positioned above the tabe sutliciently to permit a grooved slat el to pass beneath the `grid. rl"he slats pass beneath the grid and, at one side contact with one ot' the clamps 3l and at the opposite side by the guide member 33 having slots lt through which pass lastening devices 35. The front end oil the aligning guide 33 is rounded at one corner, and the member 31% is adjusted to bring its trent end a desired distance trom the shoulders 3l. l also provide an aligning rod S6 adjustably mounted in the brac ret 3T. and its liront end is bent as at 38 to torni a guide 'for the sla-t beneath the grid.

l also provide rods 39 which are adjustably` connected with the tab'e and are adapted to pass through apertures l0 in the grid 29 to prevent the leads in a desired number of slots il() passing therethrough. Lll-l. designates an aligning member traveling in guides 41:2 and controlled by the lever 43 which passes through a slot f lfl in the hase member. A spring tends to retain a roller at, carried b v the lever lf3 in engagement with a cam Lt7 on the main driving shat't l2. so than at the proper time, the aligning member Ll-l is moved forwardly and rearw a rdly.

The base B supports at opposite sides the guide bars 4S on which a hopper 49 is adapted to reciprocate. This hopper i9 carries the supply of leads and is provided with an open bottom, At its front side. it is provided with a plate carried by a bar Lemme 5l and seemed thereto by screws :32 so that the height ot the bottom @t this plate above the grid can be varied as may be desired to compensate for wear on the plate or grid.

The hopper 49 has fixed to its rear wall an apertured lug 55, to which is pivoted one end ot a link 5ft, the other end ot which is pivotally connected with a lever tulcrumed at 5G in the machine trame. A link 57 is pivotall \T connected with the. lower end oit the lever 55 and with the stud 58, eccentrically secured to the sides oit a gearl 59 on a shatft (i0 journalled in the machine trame and meshing with a gear (il. on the main driving shaft lil so that, at the proper times, the hopper will be moved torrmrdy and rearwardly.

In order to facilitate the filling ol" the hopper with the leads, the :trent tace o'l". the hopper is cut away as at (52. The lront end ot the grid has secured to it resilient stop members 63, by means ot fastening devices (il. These stops are in the term ovl' metal strips secured at, their upper ends by their :fastening devices to the wall of the grid, and their lower ends are provided with the notches G5 which are disposed above. the grooves ot a sat passing l'ieneath, so that. when a tilled slat is being fed from beneath the gri d, only one lead can remain in a slot ot a slatas such slat. being discharged.

The grid 29 is recessed as at GG. see Fgure 8, to guide a slat passing from beneath the gli-id. A slatthen pass i between a stationary guide 67 and an adjustable guide GS, see Figures l, and 4l. The guide G8 is provided with slots Gt) through which pass las lening devices T() which secures the adjustable guide GS in its adjusted position.

rlhe portions oit the guides 6i" and G8 nea rest the hopper are preferably rounded as shown in Figure l. A lead containing slat passes from the guides (3T and 68 along the table 3 into contact with a ileed roller 7i which is mounted on a. shalt 72 journalled in the machine trame, and the table is slotted as at 73 so that the slat will contact with the roller. This `teed roller is intern'iittently driven by means ot a pawl and ratchet connection itfrom the anxiliarT shaft l5. The shatt l5. see more particularly Figure ll., has Fixed to it a cam Tel which co-operates with a roller T7. the opposite end ot said spring being connected to a lixed port-ion ot the machine, so that the roller 'i' is maintained in Contact with the eam '74. T he lever 7G is fulcrnmed at TS to a liXed portion ot the machine. and a link T9 has one end connected with the lever 76 and its other end connected to a rock arm 80 loosely mounted on the shaft 72 to which latter is fixed a ratchet Si.. with which (3o-operates a spring pressed pawl. 82 carried by the rock arm 80.

Tt will thus be seen that, during the operation ot' the machine, the leed roller Tl is lll) intermittently Vdriven to progressivelyv move va lead containing slat against an aligning member 88 formed by a wall of the conveyor table 84C, which, in the presentA instance, eX-

" tends at an angle'from the table 3. In order to automatically effect theV 'feeding of the lead containing', slats along -the conveyor table 84, I provide the following feed mechanis'm:V j

The main driving shaft 12, see Figures 1 and 12, hasfixed to it a discS, to which is eccentrically connected, as at 486, a link 87, which in turn is connected with a rock arm 88, fixed to avrockl shaft 89suitably jour- ,nalled in the machine frame.

The rock shaft 89 has connected with it an arm '90,

to which is connected one yend of a link 91,

fthe opposite end of the link being connected to a push bar 92 which is sli'd'able in guides 93, so that a slat in which wthe lead has been alignedk will be automatically.1` fed from the table 3 along. the conveyortable 84.'

The operation of my novel lead laying l' machine for'tpencils willnow `be clear to those skilled in this Aart and ris as follows: n The grooved slats y4 are stacked between theguides 7 and 8 anda supply of leads 6 is placed in the hopper49. c c n Assuming now that thev main driving shaft 12 is revolving, it will be apparent that the 'auxiliary shaft-15 which is intergeared therewith, asat 16, Visalso revolving.

- kThe sprocket chain 18, driven from the shaft 15, drives the shaft'20, see Figure 5,

l and thereby the ldisc 21, softhat the shoe 22 carried bysaid disc willactuate the slotted linkr2t, and through the link 27, cause the forward movement ofthe push bar 28. This push bar .is guided in'any suitable manner on the table, and, as the lowermost slatA; of the stack is in the path of this push bar 28, the push bar moves the lowermostslat l forwardly beneath the grid 29 but does not .align it beneath the slots 30 in the grid 29,

so thatits grooves do not register with the slots inthe lgrid.- The lowermost leads in the slots of the -gridvrest on the top surface of the slat betweenthe grooves. l n -v As a slat is fed from beneath the stack beneath the grid, vits forward `portions engage .one of the stops andthe aligning rod Grid.

n u kalignment with the grooves so. that the leads ywhich N have been resting on thetop surface between the grooves roll into the grooves.

The next step intheoperation is to align the grooved slats so that its grooves will register with the slots in the grid, and this is accomplished by the aligning member 41.

At the proper time, the cam 47 'ons-tbe main driving shaft 12, actuating the roller 4:6, ac'tuates a lever 43 and causes the aligning member Ll1 to press the slat against the stationary .guides formed lby-a wall offthe rIlie slotsfin the, grid are now in In orderto supply the leads to the slots of the grid, I provide a supply of the leads in thehopper and effect' relative movement of the hopper and the grid. As illustrated,

the grid is stationary and the hopper recip-y rocates.

' The vmain driving shaft k12 actuates the gear 61, which, in turn, ldrives the gear 59 thereby actuating'the lever 55 andthe link 57 to cause'the' lever y55 or -linkfl to move the hopper 19 at the proper time forwardly and rearwardly. The slat vbeneath the grid Vwhich has been filled with leadsis now out ing :the lilledslat.

Y The lead carrying slat is moved forwardly I kuntil it comes into Contact with the feed roller 71 which is intermittently 'actuatedby `the pawl and ratchet-connection, already eXplained,lso that, when the slat is advancedv to bring itsforward end in contact .with the aligning member 83, all vthe leads are pro-` Vperly aligned in their grooves.

, yThe next step in the operation is the feeding of the `lead containing slats along the conveyor table 84 whichv leads to any desired point of utilizationsuch as, 'for example, the glueing mechan'isnr The main driving shaft discr85, and therebythe'link 87, rock arm 88, rock shaft 89, arm 90, and the push bar 192, which effects the feed of the lead filled slatvalong the conveyor table 84.

The machine canV be adjusted as is appar- -entto receive slats havingany desired numberv of grooves, and the leads may be prevented from entering adesired number of .the grooves by meansof rods 39 which enter the apertures 40 in the grid` to prevent leads passing through predetermined slots 30 in employed with slats containing a plurality of grooves. As alead containing slat passes from beneath the grid, the Vresilient stop members, not only prevent more than one lead remaining in a groove but they also serve as resilient stop members to prevent the jamming andv breaking of the leads in the hopper.

The reciprocation of the hopper tends to vslightly agitato the leads so that they will roll into the vslots in the grid. The bottom of the hopper is open'and unobstructed so z that the leads passto the slots, and the leads VVpass into the slots by arolling 'actionLand they also pass from ythe 'slots into the grooves of the slats by rolling action, which tends to 1 1.2 actuates the lUU `the grid V29,v so that the machine can be eliminate the breaking of the leads. rlhe slots in the grid may be of any desired Width.

til

ln so far as I am aware, I am the iirst in the art to devise a lead laying machine wherein a lead filled slat is out of alignment With the next slatwhich is being` fed or wherein a stationary slotted grid with a reciprocating hopper are employed and it is to be understood that I desire my claims to such features to receive the broad and generic interpretation to which a pioneer in the art is entitled.

It will be apparent that the various operations are automatic. and that all that the ope ator has to do is to maintain the supply of leads in the hopper and to maintain the supply of slats in the stack.

It will new be apparent that I have de vised a new and useful lead laying machine for pencils which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above descrilition, and that While I have, in the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable re salts, it to be understood that this embodiment is susceptible of n'iodiiication in various particulars Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacriiicing any of its ad fantages.

I claim zl. In a lead laying machine slats having a pluraliti`- of grooves. and lead laying mechanism effective to simultaneously lay head in sa id grooves by a rolling action.

ln a lead laying machine, a slotted grid, a lead receiving hopper above said grid, means to ell'ect relative movement of said grid and hopper. and means to feed slats into their lead receiving position.

3. In a lead laying machine, a stationary slotted grid, a lead receiving hopper having an open bottom, means te reciprocate said hopper, and means to feed slats into and from their lead receiving position.

et. In a lead laying machine, slat feeding means to feed the slats into proximity to their lead receiving position, means to move a fed slat into its aligned lead receiving posi tion and ont of alignment with a slatbeing fed, and means to lay lead in a slat, and a lead containing slatl being' moved from its lead receiving position by the nextslat into which the lead is to be laid.

5. In a lead laying machine, means to progressivel)v feed slats into approximate lead receivingl position, means to align a slat in lead receiving position` means to lay leads in the slats` and means to discharge the lead carrying slats from the niachine.

(i. In a lead laying machine, means to progressively feed slats into approximate lead receiving position, means to align a slat in lead receiving position, means to lay leads in the slats, a lead aligning member, and means te feed the lead containing slats into eooperation with said member.

T. In a lead laying machine, a slotted grid, means to prevent the leads passing through predetermined slots, a lead receiving hopper above said grid, means to effect relative movementl of said grid and hopper, and means to feed slats into their lead receiving' position.

8. In a lead laying machine, a bed, slat retaining means on the bed in ivhich the slats are superimposed, a push bar to advance the lonermost slat into approximate lead receiving position, means to align a slat in its lead receiving position, means to lay leads on the slats, actuating means for said pnsh bar. and means to discharge the filled slats.

Sl. In a lead laying machine, means to align a stack of grooved slats, means to progressively` feed the lovvermost slat of the stack into approximate lead receiving position, a slotted grid, means to move a fed slat to bring its grooves into registry with said slots, a reciprocatory lead containing hopper above said grid, and means to actuate said hopper, and a lead. carrying slat being` discharged from its lead receiving po sition by a at being fed.

l0. In a lead laying machine, means to alien a stack of grooved slats, means to progressively feed the lowermost slat of the stack into approximate lead receiving position, a slotted grid, means to move a fed slat to bring its grooves into registeryr with said slots, a rcciprocatory lead containing hopper above said grid, and means to actin ate said hopper, a lead carrying slat being discharged from its lead receiving position by a slat being fed `with the grooves of the slats ont of register.

1l. In a lead laying machine, a slotted guide, means to roll leads into said slots, and means to feed slats to bring their grooves into registry With said slots to canse liads from the slots to roll into said grooves.

12. In a lead laying machine, a support for a stack of slats, a stationary slotted grid, means to progressively move the lowermost slat of the stack beneath said grid with its grooves ont of register' with said slots, means to eifeet registration of said slots and grooves, a lead receiving hopper above said grid having' an open bottom, means to re eiprocate said hopper, a slat being discharged from lead receiving position by a slat being fed, and resilient stop members to prevent more than one lead in a slat groove being1 discharged with a lead carrying slat.

13. In a lead laying machine, a support for a stack of slats, a stationary slotted grid, means to progressively move the lowermost slat of the stack beneath said grid with its grooves ont of register with said slots, means lOl) lll)

to effect registration of said slots and grooves, a lead receiving hopper above said grid having an open bottom, means to reciprocate said hopper, a slat being Vdis` charged from lead receiving position by a slat being fed, resilient stop members to prevent more than one lead in a slat groove being discharged With a lead carrying slat, and a slat feeding member to Which a lead carrying slat is discharged.

14. In a lead laying machine, a support for a stack of slats, a stationary slotted grid, means to progressively move the lovvermost slat of the stack beneath said grid kwith its grooves out of register with said slots, means to effect registration of said slots and grooves, a lead receiving hopperabove said grid having an open bottom, means to reciprocate said hopper, a slat being discharged from lead receiving position by a slat being fed, resilient stop members to prevent more than one lead in a slat groove being discharged-With a lead carryinoa slat, a slat feeding member to which a lead carrying slatis discharged and a lead aligning member to which a. slat is fed by said slat feeding member.

15. In a lead laying machine, a support for a stack of slats, a. stationary slotted grid, means to progressively move the lowermost slat of the stack beneath said grid With its grooves out of register With said slots, means to effect registration of said slots and grooves, a lead receiving hopper above said grid having an open bottom, means to reciprocate said hopper, a slat being discharged from lead receiving position by a slat being fed, resilient stop members to prevent more than one lead in a slat groove being discharged with a lead carrying slat, a slat feeding member to which a lead carrying slat is discharged, a lead aligning member to yWhich aslat is fed by said slat feeding member and means to discharge the slats in which the leads have been aligned to a desired point of utilization. -V

16. In a lead laying machine, a bed, a slotted grid spaced from said bed, slat guidingmembers on said bed, means to feed slats beneath said grid, means to align a slat beneath said grid to bring its grooves into registry With said slot-s, a lead receiving reciprocatory hopper above said grid, a slat being fed causing a lead containing slat to be discharged from beneath said grid, and means carried by said hopper to prevent more than one lead for a groove to be discharged With a slat.

17. In a lead laying machine, a bed, a slotted grid spaced from said bed, slat guiding members on said bed, means to feed slats beneath said grid, means to align a slat beneath said grid to bring its grooves into registry With said slots and out of registry With the grooves of the next slat to be fed, a lead receiving reciprocatory hopper above .said grid, a slat being fed causing a lead containing slat to be discharged from beneath said grid, and means carried by said hopper to prevent more than one lead for a groove to be discharged with a slat.

18. In a lead laying machine, a stack holder for the grooved slats, a slotted grid, means to progressively feed slats from the stack beneath said grid, means to position a slatbeneath said grid to bring its grooves into registry with said slots and out of registry With the grooves of the next slat to be fed so that its front Wall Will contact with the rear ends of the leads of a lead containing slat, and means to feed leads to the slots of said grid.

JOHN S. FURST. 

